Written Answers Tuesday 31 January 2006

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-18526 and S2W-21639 by Patricia Ferguson on 5 September 2005 and 12 January 2006, whether these indicate that it has ruled out making representations to Her Majesty’s Government to either (a) create a Commonwealth Games lottery or (b) make the newly-created Olympic Games lottery a joint Olympic-Commonwealth Games lottery, in the event that Glasgow secures the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2W-21639 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, how this indicates its considered position as to whether it would be equitable for Her Majesty’s Government to either (a) create a Commonwealth Games lottery or (b) make the newly-created Olympic Games lottery a joint Olympic-Commonwealth Games lottery, in the event that Glasgow secures the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive is still exploring the possibilities of lottery monies being available to help fund the 2014 Commonwealth Games. However, no dedicated National Lottery games were introduced to fund the staging of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002. The Manchester Games received National Lottery funding through the existing framework of Lottery games and good causes.

Agriculture

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the farm income figures for 2005.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is today publishing the Scottish farm income figures. The estimated figures show that Total Income From Farming (TIFF) is forecast to fall by 8.4% in 2005 to £436 million. Finished cattle has continued to improve, as evidenced by a 6% increase when removal of subsidies is taken into account. However, the sheep sector has fallen by 12%. Cereals are down due to a reduction in both prices and area grown. Some input costs to farmers have increased with interest and fuel costs increasing by 8.5% and 23% respectively.

  Due to its method of construction, TIFF figures cannot be broken down into different types of farming. The second data series known as Net Farm Income is designed to enable comparisons to be made across different farm types. Net Farm Income captures movements in prices and costs that are different to those in TIFF because of the differing time periods accounted for by the two measures. For these reasons the two series should not be directly compared with each other.

  Average net farm income (NFI) for all farm types fell by 34% between 2003-04 and 2004-05, from £19,800 to £13,100. There was a fall for most farm types, with cereal and general cropping farms showing significant decreases. Only dairy farms saw a small increase in net farm income, due mainly to the receipt of dairy premium. Summary estimates of the outputs, inputs and income for 2005 at both aggregate level and by farm type will be published this morning. A copy of which will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38751). More detailed analyses will be published on 30 March 2006.

Asylum Seekers

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 ( Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, what the timetable is for finalising the agreement with the UK Government.

Robert Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22161 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Asylum Seekers

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 ( Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, whether the Parliament will be given the opportunity to consider and scrutinise the agreement with the UK Government.

Robert Brown: We have made clear on many occasions that we are seeking to agree improvements in a range of issues and that we will report to Parliament once our discussions with the Home Office are concluded. It will be for Parliament to determine whether any parliamentary consideration is appropriate in due course.

Asylum Seekers

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 ( Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers, whether the Commissioner for Children and Young People is being consulted on the nature of the agreement with the UK Government.

Robert Brown: Officials have had a number of recent meetings with the Children’s Commissioner’s office to discuss children of asylum seekers amongst other things. There will be further meetings in the coming weeks.

Asylum Seekers

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-8690 by Robert Brown on 19 January 2006 ( Official Report c. 22548) regarding the children of failed asylum seekers and in light of the statement by the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration that children can be deported while under investigation by it, whether this issue will be specifically addressed in the agreement with the UK Government.

Robert Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22160 on 23 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Child Care

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have established child care voucher schemes for their employees.

Robert Brown: The information requested is not held centrally. Childcare Vouchers is a taxation measure and therefore a reserved matter. Use of the scheme by Scottish local authorities is an operational matter for individual local authorities to consider.

Child Care

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies have established child care voucher schemes for their employees.

Robert Brown: The information requested is not held centrally. Childcare Vouchers is a taxation measure and therefore a reserved matter. Use of the scheme by non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) is an operational matter for individual NDPBs to consider.

Children

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what reduction in the proportion of children living in (a) non-working and (b) low-income households in the (i) West Dunbartonshire and (ii) East Dunbartonshire local authority area there has been since 1996.

Nicol Stephen: (a) Data on the number of children living in non-working households is not available for East and West Dunbartonshire prior to 2003. Data for 2003 and 2004 are shown as follows in table 1.

  Table 1 – Proportion of Children1 Living in Non-working Households, 2003-04

  

 Year
 West Dunbartonshire
 East Dunbartonshire


 2003
 21.6%
 7.7%


 2004
 23.3%
 6.7%



  Source: Annual Scottish Labour Force Survey.

  Notes:

  1. Children here are defined as all dependent children aged under 19.

  (b) The information requested is not available.

  The official source of low income data for Scotland is the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) dataset available from 1994-95. This is derived from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). The sample size of the FRS in Scotland is relatively small and can only be used to provide information for Scotland as a whole.

  The following link provides the latest low income headline figures for Scotland (2003-04), together with data for previous years. This was published on 30 March 2005: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/03/29170611/06123.

Crime

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many recorded crimes there have been in each police force area in each of the last three years and this year to date, expressed on a per capita basis, showing national totals and year-on-year increases in each case.

Cathy Jamieson: Data on the numbers of recorded crimes and offences for the last three financial years are given in the following tables. Data for the year 2005-06 will be published in September 2006.

  The Number of Recorded Crimes1 per 10,000 Population by Police Force Area, 2002-03 to 2004-05, and Annual Percentage Change

  

 Police Force
 2002-03
 2003-04
Percentage Change 2002-03 to 2003-04
 2004-05
Percentage Change 2003-04 to 2004-05


 Central
 658
 705
 7.2
 703
 -0.4


 Dumfries and Galloway
 698
 712
 2.1
 722
 1.3


 Fife
 846
 925
 9.3
 983
 6.3


 Grampian
 764
 743
 -2.7
 782
 5.3


 Lothian and Borders
 891
 910
 2.1
 938
 3.1


 Northern
 511
 526
 2.9
 561
 6.7


 Strathclyde
 889
 849
 -4.5
 907
 6.9


 Tayside
 800
 779
 -2.6
 821
 5.4


 All Scotland
 827
 819
 -1.0
 863
 5.3



  The Number of Recorded Offences1 per 10,000 Population by Police Force Area, 2002-03 to 2004-05, and Annual Percentage Change

  

 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 Percentage Change 2002-03 to 2003-04
 2004-05
Percentage Change2003-04 to 2004-05


 Central
 1,152
 1,243
 7.9
 1,084
 -12.8


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1,117
 1,638
 46.6
 2,087
 27.4


 Fife
 1,089
 1,002
 -8.0
 1,069
 6.7


 Grampian
 990
 1,103
 11.3
 1,155
 4.8


 Lothian and Borders
 808
 1,115
 37.9
 1,349
 21.0


 Northern
 981
 931
 -5.1
 951
 2.2


 Strathclyde
 1,069
 1,237
 15.7
 1,210
 -2.1


 Tayside
 1,151
 1,512
 31.4
 1,509
 -0.2


 All Scotland
 1,024
 1,201
 17.3
 1,246
 3.7



  Note: 1. Contraventions of Scottish criminal law are divided for statistical purposes into crimes and offences. The term "crime" is generally used for the more serious criminal acts; the less serious are termed "offences", although the term "offence" may also be used in relation to serious breaches of criminal law. The distinction is made only for working purposes and the "seriousness" of the offence is generally related to the maximum sentence that can be imposed.

Dental Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have had fissure sealants in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) deprivation category, expressed also as a percentage of all children of these ages.

Lewis Macdonald: Under NHS general dental services, dentists are paid enhanced monthly fees according to the Deprivation Category of their practice postcode to provide registered child patients aged six and seven years with an appropriate preventative treatment programme. This may include the application of fissure sealants to first molar teeth which would be a clinical decision for the dentist, based on evidence of dental decay. Separate figures are not kept on the number of patients in this age group whose molar teeth have been fissure sealed.

Dentistry

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what correlation it considers that there is between early tooth loss caused by dental decay and (a) failure to thrive, (b) impaired speech development, (c) absence from school, (d) inability to concentrate in school, (e) reduced self-esteem and (f) mental ill-health.

Lewis Macdonald: The childhood problems listed in the question may all have a number of different causes. Early tooth loss due to dental decay may impact on these problems, but the Scottish Executive Health Department is not aware of evidence linking these problems directly to poor dental health.

Dentistry

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research into the effects of early tooth loss it uses to inform the development, application and subsequent resourcing of (a) education policy, (b) dental health policy, (c) other health policy and (d) any other policy.

Lewis Macdonald: There are a wide range of structured groups that impact on policy in Scotland as well as a range of professionals able to advise the Scottish Executive Health Department directly or through the Chief Dental Officer.

  These structured advisory groups inform and shape dental policy, educational policy and related policies. The Chief Dental Officer also takes advice from academics and dental professionals throughout the UK and Europe as required.

Dentistry

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dental prescriptions for fluoride were issued in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) deprivation category.

Lewis Macdonald: Information on the number of prescription items for sodium fluoride preparations issued by dentists in Scotland during the financial years ending 31 March 2001 to 2005 inclusive broken down by NHS board is given in the following table. The data given refer to prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals or hospital based clinics.

  Data on prescribing by deprivation category is not held centrally.

  Number of Prescription Items – Sodium Fluoride

  

 NHS Board
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 Argyll and Clyde 
 1,051
 1,129
 874
 588
 509


 Ayr and Arran 
 455
 370
 399
 453
 559


 Borders 
 6
 9
 16
 11
 12


 Dumfries and Galloway 
 289
 233
 241
 187
 174


 Fife 
 291
 159
 231
 187
 159


 Forth Valley 
 119
 122
 165
 103
 118


 Grampian 
 104
 86
 117
 128
 158


 Greater Glasgow 
 1,988
 1,826
 2,230
 1,745
 1,761


 Highland 
 342
 284
 240
 193
 187


 Lanarkshire 
 800
 956
 1,156
 961
 795


 Lothian 
 636
 572
 589
 544
 476


 Orkney 
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Shetland 
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Tayside 
 113
 79
 130
 107
 96


 Western Isles 
 131
 53
 24
 16
 7


 Total
 6,325
 5,878
 6,413
 5,223
 5,012



  Source: ISD.

Diabetes

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the drive to improve the co-ordination and delivery of diabetes services will be undermined if diabetes managed clinical networks operate without paid staff.

Mr Andy Kerr: The principles for managed clinical networks were set out in HDL (2002) 69, which made it clear that networks must be supported by paid administrative and managerial staff, whether working exclusively for a single network or as part of a team supporting a range of networks. The question of a network operating without paid staff should not arise.

Economy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out since 1999 to examine the economic impact of independence and, in particular, whether it would have a positive impact on the Scottish economy.

Nicol Stephen: No such research has been carried out.

Employment

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support and assistance is provided through its agencies and non-departmental public bodies to help migrant workers learn English language skills.

Nicol Stephen: Publicly-funded English language classes for immigrants, including migrant workers, are provided in further education (FE) colleges, community learning and development (CLD) partnerships and adult literacy and numeracy (ALN) partnerships, and by a small number of voluntary providers. Disaggregated data on the support for English language classes for migrant workers, as distinct from other provision, are not available because of the way that these various bodies are funded.

  However, the Scottish Executive has taken substantial action in recent years to facilitate the provision of English language classes. Between 2001 and 2004 an extra £5.4 million was allocated to the FE sector to ensure that colleges boost provision. From 2004-05, this resource has been mainstreamed into FE baseline funding. This funding has helped to expand considerably the provision of English language classes and reduce waiting lists for lessons.

  While we do currently allocate considerable resources for provision of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) in Scotland, we recognise the need for a clear strategy in this area. Public consultation on the formulation of a national adult ESOL strategy for Scotland ended on 31 October 2005. Detailed analysis of the consultation responses, which indicate broad agreement with the vision and guiding principles for the strategy, is currently being completed, and we plan to launch our adult ESOL strategy this spring.

Employment

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which agencies and non-departmental public bodies have a responsibility to provide English lessons for migrant workers.

Nicol Stephen: Publicly funded English language classes for immigrants, including migrant workers, are provided in further education (FE) colleges, community learning and development (CLD) partnerships and adult literacy and numeracy (ALN) partnerships, and by a small number of voluntary providers.

  The Scottish Executive’s current work to develop an adult ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) strategy for Scotland is designed to aid these various sectors to be even more responsive to the rapidly changing ESOL student population, including the influx of migrant workers, through mechanisms for increased collaboration between providers and coordination of ESOL provision. Public consultation on the formulation of a national ESOL strategy ended on 31 October 2005. Detailed analysis of the consultation responses, which indicate broad agreement with the vision and guiding principles for the strategy, is currently being completed, and we plan to launch our adult ESOL strategy this Spring.

Energy

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that Her Majesty’s Government will bring forward the new grant programmes intended to replace the PowerShift scheme and on what date applications for grants under the new programmes will be considered.

Nicol Stephen: The UK Government Department for Transport (DfT) is developing a new scheme. The timescale for introduction is dependent on clearance by the European Commission.

  The Energy Saving Trust (EST), which administers transport programmes on behalf of the Department, will continue to keep the public informed of developments via its website www.est.org.uk.

Enterprise

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that chambers of commerce and other local organisations will be properly consulted before any decisions are reached on the future structure of enterprise promotion in Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: Ministers have made it clear that any proposals should have the support of business. They have discussed, and will continue to discuss, with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise the nature of their developing proposals and in particular the level of support from business organisations and other interested parties.

Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of the monies it, or any of its agencies, have given Scottish Financial Enterprise in each of the last three financial years and for what purposes these monies were given.

Nicol Stephen: On the basis of information held on the Scottish Executive accounting system (SEAS), I can confirm that no monies were paid by the Executive or its agencies to Scottish Financial Enterprise during the financial years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 (to date).

Environment

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to resume schemes to assist the conversion of road vehicles to run on clean fuels.

Rhona Brankin: A number of new grants programmes to incentivise the development and take-up of cleaner fuels and vehicles, regardless of the technology or fuel type, have been notified to the European Commission for State Aid clearance by the Department for Transport on behalf of the Scottish Executive and other UK administrations.

  The timescale for introduction of the new programmes is dependent on progress by the European Commission in reviewing and clearing the new programmes. While we are keen to have an early response from the Commission, it is not possible to say when this process will be concluded.

Environment

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the European Commission in respect of the reintroduction of schemes to assist the conversion of road vehicles to run on clean fuels.

Rhona Brankin: The overall position on the issue is as described in the answer to question S2W-22006 on 27 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search engine for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The Commission is in the process of assessing the proposed schemes. As part of this process, the Commission has been in discussion with the Department for Transport, which has made representations on behalf of all the UK Government Departments and Devolved Administrations concerned. It is not possible to say when this process will be concluded.

Environment

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it has allocated to land reclamation and the cleaning of contaminated land in each local authority area in each of the last five years.

Rhona Brankin: The resources distributed to local authorities over the period 2000-01 to 2004-05 to carry out activities, including site remediation work, associated with implementation of the contaminated land regime are set out in the following table.

  In addition, the Scottish Executive allocated £8 million, aimed at tackling problems of vacant and derelict land, to the following local authorities in 2004-05:

  Dundee: £2 million.

  Glasgow: £4 million.

  North Lanarkshire: £2 million.

  

Local Authority(£000)
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 Aberdeen City Council
 17
 62
 83*
 69
 69


 Aberdeenshire Council
 19
 68
 68
 68
 502*


 Angus Council
 32
 79
 430*
 98
 98


 Argyll and Bute Council
 20
 72
 72
 72
 72


 Clackmannanshire Council
 15
 37
 280*
 50
 111*


 Dumfries and Galloway Council
 46
 112
 155
 163
 163


 Dundee City Council
 41
 102
 357*
 142
 582*


 East Ayrshire Council
 54
 128
 421*
 181
 490*


 East Dunbartonshire Council
 15
 37
 45
 61
 61


 East Lothian Council
 15
 37
 57
 57
 107*


 East Renfrewshire Council
 15
 37
 75*
 50
 50


 City Of Edinburgh Council
 45
 181
 181
 181
 406*


 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
 20
 72
 72
 72
 222*


 Falkirk Council
 26
 63
 278*
 126
 1,146*


 Fife Council
 108
 266
 386*
 325
 2,086*


 Glasgow City Council
 174
 429
 812*
 580
 650*


 Highland Council
 91
 224
 297
 326
 1,021*


 Inverclyde Council
 15
 55
 798*
 57
 57


 Midlothian Council
 49
 106
 307*
 133
 133


 Moray Council
 15
 38
 45
 50
 2,200*


 North Ayrshire Council
 52
 128
 496*
 194
 194


 North Lanarkshire Council
 225
 447
 1,080*
 662
 662


 Orkney Islands Council
 15
 37
 45
 50
 50


 Perth and Kinross Council
 22
 77
 338*
 77
 552*


 Renfrewshire Council
 52
 127
 181
 300
 600*


 Scottish Borders Council
 15
 53
 53
 53
 345*


 Shetland Islands Council
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 South Ayrshire Council
 19
 47
 66
 69
 69


 South Lanarkshire Council
 76
 187
 475*
 281
 831*


 Stirling Council
 27
 68
 85
 92
 480*


 West Dunbartonshire Council
 29
 71
 92
 101
 851*


 West Lothian Council
 136
 253
 253
 260
 860*


 Total
 1,500
 3,700
 8,383
 5,000
 15,720



  Notes:

  1. Resources allocated up to and including 2003-04 were issued as capital allocations under section 94 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. Following the introduction of the prudential framework for local government capital from April 2004, resources have been distributed as capital grants.

  2. *Indicates that resources include additional End Year Flexibility funding issued in 2002-03 and 2004-05 for specific projects aimed at cleaning up derelict and contaminated land causing public health risks or blighting communities

  3. Shetland Islands Council does not receive capital allocations.

Flood Prevention

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21968 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2006, what funding was made available to each of the local authorities cited as making successful applications for flood prevention schemes.

Rhona Brankin: Further to my answer to your question S2W-21968 answered on 18 January 2006, the following funding was made available to each local authority for flood prevention schemes.

  

 Local Authority
 (£000)


 Aberdeenshire
 231


 Aberdeen City
 270


 Argyll and Bute
 1269


 Dumfries and Galloway
 638


 City of Edinburgh
 3134


 East Ayrshire
 5,294


 East Dunbartonshire
 7,063


 Inverclyde
 116


 Moray
 677


 North Ayrshire
 472


 Perth and Kinross
 1382


 Renfrewshire
 1326


 West Lothian
 629

Flood Prevention

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21968 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2006, during which financial year funding was made available to each of the local authorities cited as making successful applications for flood prevention schemes.

Rhona Brankin: Further to my answer to question S2W-21968 on 18 January 2006, the funding made available each financial year to each local authority for flood prevention schemes is tabulated below.

  

 Local Authority
2001-02 (£000)
2002-03 (£000)
2003-04 (£000)
2004-05 (£000)
2005-06 (£000)


 Aberdeenshire
 
 231
 
 
 


 Aberdeen City
 
 
 270
 
 


 Argyll and Bute
 
 
 850
 
 419


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 483
 155


 City of Edinburgh
 
 
 
 
 3,134


 East Ayrshire
 
 
 3,728
 
 1,566


 East Dunbartonshire
 5,238
 
 
 
 1,825


 Inverclyde
 116
 
 
 
 


 Moray
 
 
 
 677
 


 North Ayrshire
 
 
 472
 
 


 Perth and Kinross
 315
 
 
 
 1,067


 Renfrewshire
 543
 783
 
 
 


 West Lothian
 
 
 629

Flood Prevention

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21968 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2006, what information it has in respect of the successful application for flood prevention measures from Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Rhona Brankin: Further to my answer to question S2W-21968 on 18 January 2006, an offer of flood prevention grant funding to Dumfries and Galloway Council was made in June 2004 for the Portpatrick Flood Prevention Scheme amounting to some £638,000. This was spread over the years 2004-06 to match the estimated expenditure profile provided by the council in their application. So far some £596,000 has been paid and a further request for payment is expected from the council.

Freedom of Information

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many freedom of information requests it dealt with from 1 January 2005 to 23 December 2005; how many of these requests it responded to within 20 working days, and how many are still outstanding.

Ms Margaret Curran: Information on numbers of requests received and timeliness of responses to requests in the first six months of 2005 is available in a report on information request handling in the Scottish Executive. This report is available in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 37868) and on the freedom of information pages of the Scottish Executive Website. The Executive will be publishing the report for requests received during the period 2 July 2005 to 31 December 2005 in March once the figures for this period have been analysed.

Freedom of Information

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish Executive department has received the most freedom of information requests.

Margaret Curran: Of the records held centrally the Education Department has received the most freedom of information requests to date.

Freedom of Information

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests for information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 that it has handled resulted in a fee notification being issued and how many of those applicants proceeded with their request after the notice was issued.

Margaret Curran: Of the records held centrally one fees notice has been issued and the applicant did not proceed with the request.

Freedom of Information

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to means-test fees in respect of freedom of information requests made to public bodies.

Margaret Curran: Charging for providing information is discretionary, but any charges must be made in accordance with the current fees regulations issued under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in SSIs 2004/376 and 2004/467. The Code of Practice issued by Scottish ministers under s60 of the act requires authorities to bear in mind, when applying the fees regime, that many applicants may be on low incomes. The operation of the fees regulations is one of the subjects of the current public consultation on the operation of the act.

G8 Summit

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was to it of deploying English and Welsh police officers during the G8 summit.

Mr Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21718 on 20 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

G8 Summit

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers from England and Wales were deployed on its behalf to help police the G8 summit.

Mr Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21717 on 19 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

G8 Summit

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether costs to it associated with deploying English and Welsh police officers during the G8 summit involved overtime payments for all or part of the time they spent in Scotland; what additional subsistence allowances were paid to these officers, and what other payments associated with their deployment they received.

Mr Tom McCabe: Officers from England and Wales were deployed under the mutual aid agreement between the Chief Constable of Tayside Police and the Chief Constables/Chief Officers of other forces for those forces to provide assistance during the G8 summit. This was in recognition of the fact that policing an event of this magnitude was beyond the resources of Tayside Police alone.

  The majority of officers deployed were working well beyond their normal eight hour shift and where their terms and conditions entitled them to receive overtime payments, such payments would have been made by the respective forces. Mutual aid payments to forces reflected the hours officers were deployed, including any overtime hours.

  No additional subsistence was paid to these officers, as all accommodation and meals were provided to them once they arrived in Scotland. Other minor miscellaneous payments totalled less than £5,000.

Genetically Modified Crops

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will consult on a liability regime for contamination by Genetically Modified Crops.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive will be issuing a consultation on proposals for managing the coexistence of GM, conventional and organic crops in the spring. Included as part of this consultation will be options for providing compensation to non-GM farmers who suffer financial loss.

Health

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical academics there are in each medical school and how many there were in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on the number of clinical academics in each medical school is not held centrally.

  Clinical academics employed by higher education institutions or other organisations in a research and/or teaching capacity and who also provide services for NHS patients, at consultant level, in NHS facilities are classified by ISD Scotland as having honorary contracts. ISD Scotland holds data on the number of medical and dental staff within Hospital, Community and Health Services (HCHS) with honorary contracts.

  The number of HCHS staff with honorary contracts within NHS Scotland for the last five years is shown in the table. This table includes figures from the 2005 Census, released by ISD Scotland on 26 January 2006.

  

 Year
 Number of Honorary Contracts


 2001
 495


 2002
 468


 2003
 438


 2004
 432


 2005
 421

Health

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what structures are in place to train clinical academics.

Mr Andy Kerr: There are many routes to a clinical academic career, which reflect the diversity of research, teaching and clinical practice across the different medical specialties. In general, however, doctors wishing to pursue an academic career will usually apply in open competition to a postgraduate medical training position leading to a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) within their chosen specialty, and will then seek to take time-out of their clinical training programme to undertake research and/or to develop their teaching skills in an academic setting. Following completion of this period of research, the trainee will then complete their clinical training.

  I also refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22305 on 31 January 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Health

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what tests or reports have been undertaken or prepared regarding the effect of new 3G technology phone masts.

Lewis Macdonald: Ofcom measures the levels of public exposure to emissions from both 3G and 2G communications systems as part of its on-going audit of base station emissions. For both the 2G and 3G transmitters audited to date, the exposure levels are measured in hundredths, or more typically in thousandths, of the relevant RF public exposure guidelines set by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection.

  Radio waves used to deliver 3G services are transmitted at a slightly higher frequency than for 2G but there are no differences between the two emissions that suggest differing physiological effects. There is therefore no particular reason to regard the possible health effects of 3G emissions as a case for special investigation.

Health

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has had from the medical profession regarding mobile phone masts.

Lewis Macdonald: No formal representations have been received from bodies representing the medical profession in Scotland.

Health

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care’s letter of 22 January 2005 to me in respect of the Scottish Executive Health Department’s representation on the UK Government Stakeholder Advisory Group on Electric and Magnetic Fields (SAGE), what issues of particular concern to Scotland have been brought to the attention of SAGE.

Lewis Macdonald: The aim of the SAGE process is to allow stakeholders to consider implications for a precautionary approach to power frequency electric and magnetic fields and make practical recommendations for precautionary measures. While issues of current public concern feature in these considerations, there is no intention that the work of the main SAGE group or of its current Working Groups should include specific focus on issues of particular concern to Scotland or any other particular part of the UK.

Honours

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its officials have received an honour in the (a) Queen’s Birthday Honours List and (b) New Year’s Honours List in each year since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: The number of Scottish Executive officials who have received an honour in the (a) Queen’s Birthday Honours List and (b) New Year’s Honours List in each year since 1999 are detailed in the following table.

  

 Honours List
 Awards


 New Year 2006
 6


 Birthday 2005
 7


 New Year 2005
 6


 Birthday 2004
 5


 New Year 2004
 5


 Birthday 2003
 7


 New Year 2003
 8


 Birthday 2002
 6


 New Year 2002
 6


 Birthday 2001
 7


 New Year 2001
 4


 Birthday 2000
 7


 New Year 2000
 10


 Birthday 1999
 5


 New Year 1999
 9

Inter-Governmental Links

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what formal mechanisms are in place to ensure that Scottish interests are taken into account by UK-wide quangos dealing with UK departments with responsibility for English issues.

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what informal mechanisms are in place to ensure that Scottish interests are taken into account by UK-wide quangos dealing with UK departments with responsibility for English issues.

Mr Tom McCabe: Individual bodies may have their own specific arrangements, but the overall requirement for ensuring that devolved Scottish interests are taken into account are founded on the Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Government and associated agreements. An order under section 88 of the Scotland Act has designated a range of bodies as being cross-border public authorities, which confers obligations on those authorities and on Ministers of the Crown with reference to devolved Scottish interests. Appropriate arrangements are put in place when new bodies, not covered by the order, are created.

Land Reform

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18139 by Rhona Brankin on 26 August 2005, whether any review of the effect of measures introduced under its land reform agenda will be undertaken in a spirit of openness and transparency, involving public consultation, and whether it will also welcome views on the terms, timescale and scope of such a review.

Rhona Brankin: As I indicated in the answer to the earlier question on 26 August 2005, the Scottish Executive intends to report to Parliament later this year on implementation of existing land reform measures. At the same time, we will consider the need for, and scope of, any further measures, which would be subject to consultation on an open and transparent basis in the usual way.

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total budget is for providing public information on access rights under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, broken down by form of publicity.

Rhona Brankin: Providing public information on access rights is a shared responsibility under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, which places duties upon Scottish Natural Heritage and on the access authorities.

  Scottish Natural Heritage has responsibility for publicising and promoting understanding of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and the following table shows the budgets which SNH is applying to this work over three years.

  Access authorities have a duty to publicise the Access Code. That forms part of their access responsibilities for which GAE support is provided, and is not ring-fenced or separately budgeted.

  

 Budget Year
2004–05(£)
2005–06(£)
2006–07(£)


 Access Code production and distribution 
 57,000
 28,000
 65,000


 TV and radio
 411,000
 485,000
 354,000


 Leaflets
 120,000
 10,000
 22,000


 Displays, events
 99,000
 10,000
 35,000


 Signage
 4,000 
 35,000
 5,000


 Website
 4,000
 7,000
 20,000


 Training
 26,000
 6,000
 35,000


 Research, monitoring
 14,000
 20,000
 80,000


 Total 
 735,000
 601,000
 616,000



  Source – Scottish Natural Heritage.

  Note: Budget amounts are rounded to the nearest thousand.

Local Government Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to local authorities on the appropriate level of financial reserves which they should maintain.

Mr Tom McCabe: There is currently no guidance issued to councils by the Executive on the appropriate level of financial reserves which they should maintain.

Local Government Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to influence or set levels of financial reserves in local authorities.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive currently has no specific powers to influence or set levels of financial reserves in local authorities.

Local Government Finance

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21675 by Mr Tom McCabe on 17 January 2006, what other changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme it has decided to approve.

Mr Tom McCabe: No further changes have been approved at present.

Local Government Finance

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money each local authority will have to pay to settle any retrospective pay claims.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally by the Executive. Local authority retrospective pay claims are a matter for the relevant local authorities themselves.

Local Government Finance

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA and local authorities regarding retrospective pay claims and what the outcomes were of any talks held.

Mr Tom McCabe: I met COSLA leaders on 23 January to discuss a number of funding issues for local authorities, including the cost implications of the Single Status Pay agreement and retrospective pay claims.

  These discussions will continue, however, I have already made clear that the Single Status Pay agreement was a matter between local authorities and unions in which the Executive played no part and therefore it is for local authorities themselves to consider the implications of agreements that they have negotiated with other parties.

Local Government Finance

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to help local authorities meet the costs of any retrospective pay claims.

Mr Tom McCabe: Local authority pay claims as a result of the Single Status Pay agreement are a matter for local authorities. Discussions between the Executive and COSLA on a number of funding issues, including the impact of retrospective pay claims are continuing.

NHS Staff

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve training for clinical academics.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive is committed to ensuring that clinical academics have access to high quality training and integrated career pathways which enable them to pursue their research interests alongside their clinical commitments. The Executive has recently established a committee to consider how best to take forward recommendations contained within the Walport Report for the introduction of high quality integrated career pathways.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for (a) hearing tests and (b) appointments for hearing aids in each NHS board.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not collected centrally at present. The Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland has developed a data collection system for audiology services which is currently being tested and validated prior to publication.

Olympic Games

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, what is meant by the term "world city" and whether any such cities are located in Scotland.

Patricia Ferguson: The IOC (International Olympic Committee) have published no definition of a world city.

  The Scottish Executive is aware, however, that a number of our cities have world-class facilities capable of attracting premier cultural and sporting events. EventScotland works in partnership with a number of organisations to attract such events and this work is building on our reputation as a premier events destination.

Public Bodies

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to update its 2002 publication, A Guide to Public Bodies in Scotland .

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-departmental public bodies there have been in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06.

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total budget has been for all non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06.

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total number of full-time equivalent staff was in all non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06.

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of all non-departmental public bodies, broken down by (a) budget and (b) full-time equivalent staff numbers, in each year from 1999-2000 to 2005-06.

Mr Tom McCabe: There are no plans to update this publication at this time. The Public Bodies and Appointment pages of the Scottish Executive website provide a wide range of current information on all non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) in Scotland, including details of the various classification of bodies, financial and staffing data and a comprehensive list of current NDPBs.

  The site is regularly updated and is the main source of publicly available information on NDPBs in Scotland. The site’s address is http://www.scotland.gov.uk/government/publicbodies/.

  Prior to the website’s establishment, information on NDPBs was published in the annual Cabinet Office document Public Bodies. Copies of this document are available at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/the_future_of_the_civil_service/agencies_and_public_bodies/index.asp.

Public Expenditure

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the approach in Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 2003-04 (GERS) of allocating to Scotland a proportion of the expenditure in the non-identifiable category on functions in England, or England and Wales, where expenditure on the corresponding functions in Scotland is identifiable, is consistent with the new status of GERS as a National Statistics publication.

Mr Tom McCabe: Yes, it is consistent with this new status. Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland  has National Statistics status because it is produced and published under the scope of the principles of the National Statistics Code of Practice. The code seeks to ensure that National Statistics will be valued for their relevance, integrity, quality and accessibility. HM Treasury’s Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses  is the best available source of regional expenditure data and is itself a National Statistics publication.

Scottish Criminal Record Office

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many current or former employees of the Scottish Criminal Record Office have complained about the internal workings of the office since January 2000; what the nature of such complaints was; what follow-up action was taken to deal with them; who took this action, and what progress has been made in assessing the effectiveness of the action taken.

Cathy Jamieson: We are not aware of any recorded incidents of current or former employees of the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) raising formal complaints under the grievance procedures to senior managers in SCRO about the internal workings of the office.

Scottish Criminal Record Office

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals’ fingerprint identifications and how many identifications at the scene of the Marion Ross murder case provided by the Scottish Criminal Record Office have been the subject of dispute to date.

Cathy Jamieson: Fingerprint identifications were made in respect of three individuals at the scene of the Marion Ross murder case. Two of these were relied on in evidence at subsequent criminal trials and have been subject to dispute.

Small Businesses

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) grocery, (b) butcher, (c) baker, (d) fishmonger, (e) newsagent, (f) confectionery and (g) tobacco retail outlets and how many wholesalers there were in (i) 1998 and (ii) 2004.

Nicol Stephen: The number of retail outlets in Scotland was as follows (separate figures are not available for newsagents and confectionery):

  

 
 
 Number of Business Sites


 
 Business Activity
 1998
 2004


 (a)
 Retail sale of fruit and vegetables
 1,160
 620


 (b)
 Retail sale of meat and meat products
 1,310
 880


 (c) 
 Retail sale of bread, cakes, flour confectionery and sugar confectionery
 1,050
 890


 (d)
 Retail sale of fish, crustaceans and molluscs
 425
 315


 (g)
 Retail sale of tobacco products
 1,220
 505


 (e,f,g)
 Retail sale by confectioners, tobacconists and newsagents (CTNs)
 910
 1,205



  The total number of wholesalers in Scotland was as follows:

  

 Business Activity
 Number of Enterprises


 1998
 2004


 Wholesale Trade and Commission Trade, Except of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles
 6,615
 6,325



  Of this, the number active in the wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco was:

  

 Business Activity
 Number of Enterprises


 1998
 2004


 Wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco
 1,210
 1,150



  Source: Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) which is maintained by the Office for National Statistics.

Smoking

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what percentage of, pregnant smokers have been prescribed nicotine replacement therapy in each of the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

Student Finance

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total outstanding loan balance in the student loans portfolio for Scottish domiciled student loan borrowers has been in each year since 1999.

Nicol Stephen: The following table provides details of the cumulative total of the outstanding student loan balance for Scottish domiciled borrowers from 2000 onwards.

  

 Financial Year
Outstanding Balance(£000)


 2000-01
 624,591


 2001-02
 846,008


 2002-03
 1,061,728


 2003-04
 1,276,259


 2004-05
 1,474,569



  Source: Student Loans Company.

Supermarkets

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many supermarket planning applications were (a) accepted and (b) rejected in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Johann Lamont: The tables show planning applications for supermarkets and superstores approved and refused in the period 1999-2003. Figures for 2004 and 2005 are not available.

  Table1: Convenience Supermarket Developments (over 1,000sq metres in size but less than 2,500 sq metres)

  

 Planning Authority
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003


 Granted
 Refused
 Granted
 Refused
 Granted
 Refused
 Granted
 Refused
 Granted
 Refused


 Aberdeen
 2
 
 1
 
 1
 
 1
 
 
 


 Aberdeenshire
 1
 1
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 2
 


 Angus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 East Renfrewshire
 
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Edinburgh
 1
 
 
 
 2
 
 1
 
 2
 2


 Fife
 
 
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Glasgow
 
 
 1
 
 1
 1
 
 
 
 


 Highland
 1
 1
 
 
 2
 
 1
 
 
 


 North Lanarkshire
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Scottish Borders
 
 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 South Ayrshire
 2
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 West Lothian
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Total
 8
 6
 5
 0
 6
 1
 4
 0
 8
 2



  Table 2: Convenience Superstore Developments (Over 2,500 sq metres in size)

  

 Planning Authority
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003


 Granted
 Refused
 Granted
 Refused
 Granted
 Refused
 Granted
 Refused
 Granted
 Refused


 Aberdeen
 
 
 1
 2
 1
 2
 
 1
 1
 


 Aberdeenshire
 
 
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Angus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2


 Clackmannanshire
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 
 
 
 


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 1
 
 1
 


 Dundee
 
 
 1
 1
 1
 
 2
 1
 
 


 East Ayrshire
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 East Dunbartonshire
 1
 
 
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Edinburgh
 4
 1
 
 1
 2
 
 2
 
 
 


 Falkirk
 
 
 1
 
 
 
 1
 
 
 


 Fife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Glasgow
 1
 
 2
 
 4
 
 2
 1
 3
 


 Highland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 2
 


 Midlothian
 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Moray
 
 
 
 1
 2
 
 
 
 
 


 North Ayrshire
 
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 


 North Lanarkshire
 
 
 1
 
 1
 
 
 
 
 


 Perth and Kinross
 
 
 
 
 2
 
 
 
 2
 


 Renfrewshire
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 2
 
 
 


 South Ayrshire
 1
 
 2
 
 1
 
 1
 1
 
 


 South Lanarkshire
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1


 Stirling
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 


 West Dunbartonshire
 
 
 2
 
 1
 1
 1
 
 1
 


 Total
 11
 2
 11
 6
 18
 3
 13
 4
 12
 3

Transport

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21641 by Patricia Ferguson on 12 January 2006, what plans it has to improve the infrastructure and transport and travel links to make Scotland more competitive in bids to host events of international significance.

Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive is investing £1 billion in transport in Scotland in 2005-06, and this will rise to £1.4 billion by 2007-08. We are confident that this investment will bring significant economic benefits and competitive advantage to Scotland.

UK Electoral Administration Bill

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the cost to local authorities of implementing section 9 of the UK Electoral Administration Bill.

George Lyon: Section 9 of the UK Electoral Administration Bill places a duty on electoral registration officers to take all necessary steps to register eligible electors. The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to electoral registration.

Water Supply

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which water treatment works in the United Kingdom and abroad use similar membrane filtration technology to that employed at Scottish Water’s Invercannie water treatment works.

Rhona Brankin: Detailed information about the application of individual treatment processes in Scotland and elsewhere is not held centrally. Scottish Water will be able to provide you with information about such technology in Scotland, and I will ask the Chief Executive to write to you directly.